AP PhotoPlayoff runs can be tough to come by, so the Tigers will need Austin Jackson to be catalyst at the top of the lineup.

NEW YORK -- Any of the 25 players on the Detroit Tigers' playoff roster could play a key role in the American League Division Series. But let's ignore the MVP candidates (Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabreral) and the guys likely to play the least (Andy Dirks, Omir Santos) and try to identify five players to watch for Detroit:

Al AlburquerqueThe rookie right-hander has been lights out for most of the season -- opponents are batting just .142 against him -- but he has struggled with injuries at times. He plays an important role bridging the gap between the starters and setup man Joaquin Benoit. But will Alburquerque be 100 percent healthy? And, as a rookie, how will he hold up under the bright lights of playoff pressure?

Austin JacksonGreat defense is a given. On offense? When things are going well for Jackson, he is the catalyst for the Tigers. But he can be streaky. Jackson went 11-for-20 with two home runs, five RBIs and nine runs scored in the first four games of September (and was named AL Player of the Week on Sept. 6). But since those first four games, Jackson is 13-for-76 with three RBIs and 10 runs scored with 37 strikeouts. The Tigers need him to be better than that.

Ryan RaburnIf Raburn crushed the ball in the first half and struggled in the second half each season, he wouldn't take so much grief from Tigers fans. (It also would help if his errors were more routine and less memorable.) But Raburn has been smacking the ball around since the All-Star break (.341 average, .574 slugging percentage) and could come up with a huge hit in the ALDS. How much will he play? How well will he play in the field? Can he stay hot in the postseason? Time will tell.

Max ScherzerWhen he is on top of his game, he can be almost unhittable. When he is off -- when his fastball is flat and he struggles to repeat his mechanics -- opposing hitters smack the ball all over the field. Every game in a five-game series is huge. But depending on how the first two games turn out, how Scherzer fares in Game 3 could be the key to the series.

Jose ValverdeValverde has been perfect in save situations this season. But a closer always rides a fine line between success and failure, even more so in a playoff atmosphere, when the opponent is tough and the games are hard-fought. Can Valverde keep it up? No one should expect him to remain perfect forever. It seems unlikely that Valverde will blow a save, but if he does, it could prove costly in a five-game series.﻿